Space Fantasy Zone - No end in sight?

nat · 12/08/2009, 08:55 PM

We've probably gone over this before, but I'm too lazy to try to use the forum's crappy search function. I get a pass since I'm a moderator.

I've been meaning to ask for a while, but I wanted to beat the game in all three modes first to be sure-- this game has no ending? Upon beating the final boss in any of the three difficulty modes, on my copy the screen just goes black and the console becomes unresponsive (RUN+SELECT won't even work). I have one of those reproduction copies of the game from anime4ever. I haven't tried it with a plain ISO I downloaded myself. Is this normal for this game, or is it just my copy/the reproduction copies?

I seem to recall, in the depths of my memory of long lost threads of years gone by, that this is just the way the game is but that could be my mind fabricating a memory remnant to appease my frustration.

Tatsujin · 12/08/2009, 09:48 PM

I think it's normal, since that anime4ever fellow uses nothing else than the already since many years known ISO from the net. there is no other version iic. unless NEC AVE decides to finish the game, we just have to live with that very special non-resetable black screen ending.

nat · 12/08/2009, 09:50 PM

OK, so that is just the way the ISO is. That's what I need to know, thank you.

Joe Redifer · 12/08/2009, 09:53 PM

Does anime4ever use the MP3 audio that came with the ISO, too? Or did he get access to the original uncompressed music tracks?

nat · 12/08/2009, 09:56 PM

Who knows. I haven't been bothered to rip the tracks and check for clipping or anything of that nature. I wouldn't at all be surprised if it was just the MP3 tracks that are widely available.

Nazi NecroPhile · 12/09/2009, 09:42 AM

Quote from: Joe Redifer on 12/08/2009, 09:53 PMDoes anime4ever use the MP3 audio that came with the ISO, too? Or did he get access to the original uncompressed music tracks?

Their website says it has 'corrected audio tracks', whatever that means.

Tatsujin · 12/09/2009, 09:46 AM

IIRC, the sounds were always cutted abrubtly after a level was beat (or so?). may be they made a nice fade out or sumssin

CrackTiger · 12/09/2009, 11:23 AM

I got my copy from someone in Japan who's copy was supposed to be directly copied from an original "prototype". If that story (by Thibault?) is true about a secret pact by a group to keep the game for themselves, the person who made it for me could likely be one of those people.

Anyways, I've never noticed any music tracks cutting out and I remember a Yoshi's Island style crayon cinema ending. But maybe it's just an advertise mode I'm remembering since I haven't played it in years. But I do know that I've never played an iso/mp3 version.

esteban · 12/12/2009, 12:27 PM

I have never played this game.

Sadness.

Sorrow...

Nazi NecroPhile · 12/14/2009, 11:04 AM

Quote from: esteban on 12/12/2009, 12:27 PMI have never played this game.

Sadness.

Sorrow...

Download the iso now.

Happiness.

Joy...

cosmos99 · 12/25/2009, 05:18 PM

Someone can tell me please where to download the mp3/iso ? I own the recent "release" of the game and one that is said to be from the proto(having that audio bug) , there were no difference in term of audio quality , verified with some pc software,i'd like to compare with the mp3/iso. Thanks!

cosmos99 · 12/28/2009, 12:27 PM

Thanks necromancer for the links !

Will tell the results once i have them.

cosmos99 · 01/02/2010, 11:42 AM

Happy new year all !

Well , just have realised doing a spectrum analisys between the mp3 iso and the released/proto version is useless , the one i have downloaded has bad audio of course , may be it could depends how much it was compressed ,but i will show you the result however :

spectrum analisys from the mp3 version :

/sfzmp3track8.th.jpg

spectrum analisys from the released version :

/sfzcommercialtrack8.th.jpg

Unfortunatelly after i had bought the released version , i throw away my proto iso... because i thought the released version was better with corrected audio bugs.Now i would need it again.

What would be better to compare would be the data track from black tiger version ,with the rest , i don't know if it would match with the released version because of the correction , and i don't know if it was done to the data track ? So black tiger , could you please send me(or upload) wether the data track or an iso of your version ? Thanks per advance.

cosmos99 · 02/01/2010, 01:38 PM

I've asked a friend who owns a copy of the prototype and he told me there is well that yoshi style ending , so if there's nothing on the retail version, why ??? Nat one question , on wich kind on system did you tried it ? Us or Japanese ? This may be the reason ? By the way it's easy to see the end by pressing select in game multiple times till you get to the end.

nat · 02/02/2010, 12:25 AM

I played it on a US Duo. There is absolutely no way the game can tell that though.

cosmos99 · 02/02/2010, 05:26 PM

Quote from: nat on 02/02/2010, 12:25 AMThere is absolutely no way the game can tell that though.

What do you mean ? Do you know that some CD games won't work well depending of the system region ?

Nazi NecroPhile · 02/02/2010, 05:36 PM

Quote from: cosmos99 on 02/02/2010, 05:26 PMWhat do you mean ? Do you know that some CD games won't work well depending of the system region ?

Which ones? I've heard of system card incompatibilities, of course, but I don't recall hearing of any region troubles.

nectarsis · 02/02/2010, 05:41 PM

Quote from: guest on 02/02/2010, 05:36 PM
Quote from: cosmos99 on 02/02/2010, 05:26 PMWhat do you mean ? Do you know that some CD games won't work well depending of the system region ?
Which ones? I've heard of system card incompatibilities, of course, but I don't recall hearing of any region troubles.

Looks like it would be news to many of us.

nat · 02/02/2010, 07:34 PM

Of course it would be news, since from a hardware standpoint there is absolutely nothing (zip, zero, zilch) different between the CD system on a US Duo versus a JP Duo. In fact, the only hardware difference is in the HuCard port, and that's only a matter of pins being swapped around.

Anyone who has told you otherwise has tragically led you up the garden path.

cosmos99 · 02/03/2010, 08:50 AM

No no no ! I'm talking about things i experienced myself , yet the games are pretty few but they are !

Try japanese shadow of the beast(don't stop the demo!) and Bonanza bros on a US DUO and see by yourself !

Nazi NecroPhile · 02/03/2010, 10:08 AM

Quote from: cosmos99 on 02/03/2010, 08:50 AMNo no no ! I'm talking about things i experienced myself , yet the games are pretty few but they are ! Try japanese shadow of the beast(don't stop the demo!) and Bonanza bros on a US DUO and see by yourself !

These are the system card incompatibilities I was talking about; incompatibilities which are unrelated to the rest of the hardware. In other words, a PCE briefcase/Duo/R/RX (region modded, of course) will have the same errors when using a US Super System Card, and a TG-CD/Turbo Duo (also region modded, obviously) will work fine with a PCE Super System Card (or Arcade Card) under the hood.

cosmos99 · 02/03/2010, 12:56 PM

I agree with you ,so why not a system card incompatibility with space fantasy zone ? Since with shadow of the beast there is a problem with the intro why not a problem with SFZ ending ? That's crazy because the audio from the retail version is great(compared with the said prototype copy i had),the audio even enhanced with no more bugs and then no end !? Why why why ?

cosmos99 · 02/03/2010, 01:16 PM

I just have tested it on a pc engine duo and....there is no ending... same as nat , could it be that bug correction the cause ? All that care to the packaging ,100 euros asked for a brand new copy(at launch) and the game is uncomplete...

Nazi NecroPhile · 02/03/2010, 01:21 PM

Quote from: cosmos99 on 02/03/2010, 01:16 PMI just have tested it on a pc engine duo and....there is no ending... same as nat , could it be that bug correction the cause ? All that care to the packaging ,100 euros asked for a brand new copy(at launch) and the game is uncomplete...

You still bought it, right? That's all they care about.

cosmos99 · 02/03/2010, 01:51 PM

Fortunatelly i didn't paid that much for my copy ,i got it from a bulk order. So , no ending , a CD-R ,home made printed material ,crap finally...

nat · 02/04/2010, 07:33 PM

Quote from: cosmos99 on 02/03/2010, 01:16 PMI just have tested it on a pc engine duo and....there is no ending... same as nat , could it be that bug correction the cause ? All that care to the packaging ,100 euros asked for a brand new copy(at launch) and the game is uncomplete...

Indeed. If this is in fact a defect of the self-proclaimed-superior "retail" version and not a glitch in the game itself, that's just....... Fucked up.

CrackTiger · 02/05/2010, 09:44 PM

I've never downloaded an iso of the game, so I don't know if any of the ones online are complete.

/sfz2.png/sfz1.png

Adol2009 · 02/06/2010, 11:29 AM

Quote from: guest on 12/09/2009, 11:23 AMI got my copy from someone in Japan who's copy was supposed to be directly copied from an original "prototype". If that story (by Thibault?) is true about a secret pact by a group to keep the game for themselves, the person who made it for me could likely be one of those people.

Anyways, I've never noticed any music tracks cutting out and I remember a Yoshi's Island style crayon cinema ending. But maybe it's just an advertise mode I'm remembering since I haven't played it in years. But I do know that I've never played an iso/mp3 version.

I confirm that story. I told it many times, that's how it leaked originally.
And my SFZ copy (which i got that way 10 years ago) has of course an ending.
The 2 pics you posted are 2 out of the 4 pictures displayed in the end (the last 2 ones, actually).
I made a video of it. Showing me passing the whole stages with select buttons,and going to the end.

cosmos99 · 02/07/2010, 01:52 AM

I've asked the seller and he told me he had multiple versions in the past but all data tracks were the same so the ending must be there but why won't it display he actually don't know.

nat · 02/07/2010, 02:40 AM

Well, something is obviously fucked up in the Anime4Ever version. I'm going to e-mail him as well; for the premium he charges, he should be warning people so they know exactly what they're getting.

Adol2009 · 02/07/2010, 05:52 AM

Quote from: nat on 02/07/2010, 02:40 AMWell, something is obviously fucked up in the Anime4Ever version. I'm going to e-mail him as well; for the premium he charges, he should be warning people so they know exactly what they're getting.

I asked him too,like cosmos99,and he confirmed me there is an ending in his version..he even sent me pics to prove it..so i don't see why it doesn't appear on your screen

cosmos99 · 02/07/2010, 06:50 AM

Is it a joke ??? So he tried it ? He did not told me anything about this , try to know in which sytem he's able to see the end , with a particular system card ? I tried on a pce duo without any card in it and i only got a black screen and that freeze like nat.

nat · 02/07/2010, 02:26 PM

Quote from: Adol2009 on 02/07/2010, 05:52 AM
Quote from: nat on 02/07/2010, 02:40 AMWell, something is obviously fucked up in the Anime4Ever version. I'm going to e-mail him as well; for the premium he charges, he should be warning people so they know exactly what they're getting.
I asked him too,like cosmos99,and he confirmed me there is an ending in his version..he even sent me pics to prove it..so i don't see why it doesn't appear on your screen

Pics hardly "prove" anything, as he could easily have taken screenshots from a different ISO of the game.

cosmos99 · 02/09/2010, 01:28 PM

So i tried with magic engine , and....the ends appeared ! I will have to do more tests with some other systems i have.

Nazi NecroPhile · 02/09/2010, 01:33 PM

Quote from: cosmos99 on 02/09/2010, 01:28 PMI will have to do more tests with some other systems i have.

Mail it to me and I'll test it on my Duo with various system cards. I promise not to send it back when I'm done.

cosmos99 · 02/09/2010, 02:28 PM

I will try in a duo-r and see if that's only the CD-R "effect" , may be DUO don't like 'em...

SignOfZeta · 02/09/2010, 05:48 PM

Quote from: nat on 02/07/2010, 02:40 AMWell, something is obviously fucked up in the Anime4Ever version. I'm going to e-mail him as well; for the premium he charges, he should be warning people so they know exactly what they're getting.

I can't understand what happened with the Anime4Ever guy. The bootleg Sapphire I bought from him was less than $40 and of EXTREMELY high quality, pressed on a real CD, very good printing in the book (I've seen more degredation from legitimate reprints of things over the years). Then comes this "retail" (WTF? It was never released, how can it be "retail"?) version of SFZ that is three times the price and garbage. I'm almost wondering if Anime4Ever didn't get Red Frogged in some way.

nat · 02/09/2010, 08:12 PM

Agreed, that pretty much mirrors my sentiments.

Though I'm wondering now.... The Duo has a built-in System Card 3. Space Fantasy Zone is supposed to be a CD-ROM^2 game, not a SuperCD. Perhaps it really isn't the game, but maybe System 3 breaks it somehow? Someone should try playing the Anime4Ever version on a Duo with a System 2 card and see if it's still broken. If no one does it in the near future, I'll load System 2 on my flash cart and give it a try in a week or so.

cosmos99 · 02/10/2010, 08:59 AM

I will do the system card 2.00 or even 1.00 test ! But wasn't it made after the 3.00 release ? Nothing to see with the altered beast case i mean.Why wasn't it the same quality ? I don't know , may be because there was no material to duplicate ? Or to reduce costs... We should ask him but remember , they were supposed to be old new stock from Japan...

nat · 02/10/2010, 03:43 PM

It was made before the release of System Card 3 (Super System), actually, but didn't make its way to the public until after.

cosmos99 · 02/13/2010, 09:25 AM

I will do the tests in the evening or the coming days.

I can't wait....

So first test in a DUO-R : same result !

Second test with 1.00 system card and guess what ??? Same...

As i'm out of stock of system card 2 i won't be able to test with it but i'm pretty sure we'll get the same result. So where's the problem ???

cosmos99 · 04/24/2010, 03:42 PM

My copy of the prototype beeing back i'll be able to do some testings soon !

esteban · 04/25/2010, 09:13 AM

Quote from: cosmos99 on 04/24/2010, 03:42 PMMy copy of the prototype beeing back i'll be able to do some testings soon !

We eagerly await the results

niknice · 04/26/2010, 04:32 PM

A little off topic I s`pose but i`ve just put this on my Wii (injected wad) and it not only plays fine but I just level skipped to the ending that shows a nice little slide show with cute music. I assume this is indeed the ending people are talking about. Yay for the Wii

cosmos99 · 05/01/2010, 03:45 AM

Thanks for the info , so the ending pop up on the wii as on a PC , may be the wii acts like a PC emulator in fact. Well, having a bit of time i will try my prototype copy and see...

Test done: guess what ? The ending is there by skipping each levels , using a DUO-R ! So there is really a problem with that retail version...

nat · 05/01/2010, 03:31 PM

I believe there must be a problem with the "retail" version.

Although, it'd be nice if someone would actually PLAY THROUGH the game and see if they get the ending since that's what I did. None of this skipping levels nonsense.

cosmos99 · 05/01/2010, 04:33 PM

According to some people on an other forum ,all this is just silly and no interest, i was told "play the game without skipping levels and you'll see the end".... Those people for most received the game from the same batch,i just doubt someone really has beaten the game.

The interresting thing to do now is to compare the two programs and try to find where the problem is , i remember there was a slight difference with the two TOCS , the audio is of the exact same quality,i used an analyser(PC) for that. I should check the data track and something called the cuesheet , may be we'll find a clue ?

nat · 05/01/2010, 04:35 PM

Quote from: cosmos99 on 05/01/2010, 04:33 PMThose people for most received the game from the same batch,i just doubt someone really has beaten the game.

What the hell? Seriously? The game is not really all that hard. I've beaten it a few times..... No ending, just a black screen.

cosmos99 · 05/01/2010, 04:46 PM

No , the meaning was not they could not beat the game but have'nt beaten it yet at least i suppose.

nat · 05/01/2010, 04:52 PM

Ah, you are referring to the people on the "other" forum, my mistake.

If you're going to analyze the two discs, I believe the glitch would have to be in the data track somehow.